How To Wash Your Nike Dri-Fit Properly

NIKE DRI-FIT CARE INSTRUCTIONS

Nike’s performance wicking fabric is called Dri-Fit, and it is used in their t-shirts, shorts, socks, boxers, sweatshirts and more. Nike Dri-Fit care instructions can be found on the tags of each specific piece of Nike clothing and
on their website. Here’s a list of basic care instructions they mention, including--

Here are some additional care tips to get the most out of your Nike Dri-Fit--

DO NOT WASH NIKE DRI-FIT WITH DENIMS OR THINGS WITH ZIPPERS

Do NOT wash your Nike Dri-Fit in the same load of laundry with clothing that contains zippers. Zippers rub against your Dri-Fit during the wash cycle and cause fraying, ripping, and pilling, all which will reduce its life. Keep your Dri-Fit in perfect condition by avoiding washing them in the same load of laundry as other items that have zippers. If your Dri-Fit has a zipper, make sure it’s completely zipped up so it doesn’t destroy itself.

Do NOT wash your Dri-Fit in the same load of laundry with towels and demins. Ideally you’d wash your sports laundry separately from everyday fabrics, but you should certainly avoid washing towels, denims and other rough fabrics in the same load of laundry as your Dri-Fit. Rougher fabrics rub against the Dri-Fit during the wash in a very abrasive manner, causing fraying, ripping and pilling over time, especially if you overfill your washing machine. Avoid washing these fabrics together and extend the life of your Dri-Fit.

USE A DETERGENT SPECIFICALLY MEANT TO WASH SPORTS APPAREL

Your Nike Dri-Fit should last you a while, but sometimes it loses its wicking properties quicker than you’d expect or it starts to develop a nasty lingering odor that won’t go away. Why? The culprit is usually an incompatible everyday laundry detergent that is leaving behind a nasty residue that traps odors and body oils on the surface of the garment. Be sure you use a
high performance free & clear laundry detergent for your Dri-Fit and you can completely avoid these issues and enjoy your Dri-Fit for much longer without having to replace it.

Here’s what you should look for in a sports laundry detergent--

Use detergents meant for cold-water wash. Your everyday cottons usually need a warm or hot wash to get a complete clean, but that’s not the case with your Nike Dri-Fit. Nike recommends using a cold wash on almost all of their Dri-Fit products, so use a detergent that’s meant for a cold wash. Using a cold-wash cycle is also eco-friendly because it uses less energy and resources!

Use powder laundry detergents. Nike Dri-Fit recommends using a powder detergent for a very important reason-- powder detergents gently yet effectively remove soils and debris much better than liquid detergents, without leaving behind any residue that can ruin gym clothes.

Avoid detergents with optical brighteners & fragrances. Nike specifically recommends avoiding fabric softeners, but you should also avoid optical brighteners and fragrances for the same reason-- they leave a residue on the fabric that clogs the pores of the material, causing bacteria and soils to get trapped within the fabric. And if you’re artificially making your clothes appear brighter and smell different, how do you know that your clothes are actually getting a true, complete clean and not just being covered up? Steer clear of these chemicals at all costs by choosing a hypoallergenic laundry detergent to wash your Nike Dri-Fit.

Take care of Nike Dri-Fit apparel properly. Use a laundry detergent made specifically for people who lead an active lifestyle--
Vapor Fresh® Laundry Detergent.